University Libraries @Reality Virtual + Augmented Reality Lab is hosting VR Sessions. These sessions are held on the first floor of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center in the @Reality Virtual + Augmented Reality Studio, located near the @One Service Desk. Sessions feature 360 Video and Photo Creation, Photogrammetry, 3D Modeling, Unreal Game Development Software, and Unity Game Development Software. VR Sessions are held every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. with the exception of spring break. Anyone who is interested in virtual reality (VR) is welcome to attend VR Sessions.

Each topic is taught in two week increments, the first week describes the topic and second week allows the participants to apply the knowledge and have a hands on experience with creating virtual reality. VR Sessions are a time for students to try different types of virtual reality and gain experience in developing virtual reality. 

Why should people attend VR Sessions?

The hope of holding VR Sessions is that people become inspired to use virtual reality in any field or inspired to create a new idea or application for virtual reality. The technology is still relatively new and there is still much unknown about what virtual reality is capable of.

“It’s good to expose students to this technology because it’s not going away,” said Multimedia Production Specialist Michelle Rebaleati. “The idea was to expose a wide variety of minds to virtual reality with the intent of sparking new ideas.”

Wolfie Graphic with VR set

The @Reality staff encourages anyone who has an interest to come and try VR Sessions, there are many different types of virtual reality and it is something anyone has the ability to try no matter what their background.

“Virtual reality can be applied in many different ways,” said student assistant Haley Steen. “It is an upcoming technology that can be used in many different occupations and is not just for gaming.”

Possibilities include using virtual reality in the medical field, to using it to train astronauts before they go into space. The possibilities for virtual reality are essentially endless and there is still much to be discovered about how it can be used.

“Virtual reality expands someone’s horizon over what might not be possible in the real world,” said student worker Ryan Fox. “It gives people a chance to have experiences they may not have the ability to have without virtual reality.”

Who are the Instructors of VR Sessions? 

Each different section of VR Sessions has a different instructor. This is because each instructor has a different area of study that they are good at and the @Reality team wants to provide the best instruction to participants of the VR Sessions.

Manager of Student Digital Media Technology Daniel Fergus, Multimedia Production Specialist Michelle Rebaleati, Multimedia Production Specialist Luka Starmer, Lead Virtual Reality Developer Hadi Rumjahn, Student Assistant Haley Steen, Student Assistant Timothy Hoover, and Student Assistant Ryan Fox are all instructors of VR Sessions.

For more information on VR Sessions, email Michelle Rebaleati at mrebaleati@unr.edu or Haley Steen at haleysteen@nevada.unr.edu

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